Electric railway-signal.



No. 644,639. Patented Mar. 6, |900.

J. SHOECRAFT.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

(Application led Apr. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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No. 644,639. Patented Mar. 6, |900. J. SHECRAFT.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

(Applcatiog led Apr. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Wilrjesscs 1 En 5 lxjeghnr JUDSON SHOEORAFT, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES GARDINER, OF BRADFORD, KANSAS.

ELEC-raie RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

srEcIrIcA'rIoN forming part of Letters Patent No'. 644,639, dated Maren e, 1906.

T0 all wwn, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUDSON SHOEORAFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Electric Railway-Signal, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric railwaysignals; and it has for its object to provide a new and useful construction of signal apparatus especially designed for use in connection with a railway-crossing to provide positive and reliable means for automaticallygiving a signal or sounding an alarm upon the approach of a train from either direction.

In carrying out this object the invention contemplates an improved type of relay having a novel form of armature coperating with a peculiarly-constructed arm which not only acts in the capacity of a contact to provide for closing the bell or alarm circuit upon the approach of a train, but also in connection with its companion serves to lock the apparatus out of operation as soon as the train has passed a crossing and prevents the apparatus from being restored to its normal condition until the outgoing train shall have passed the track-section on the outgoing side of the crossing or other alarm-point.

With these and other obj ect-s in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination,l and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

While the fundamental features of the invention are necessarily susceptible to modilication without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, still the preferred embodiment of the apparatus is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a diagrammatic plan View of an electric railwaycrossing signal embodying the improvements contemplated by the present invention and showing all of the circuitwire connections. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail elevation of the signal-controlling mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of one of the Z-shaped armatures Figs.

and the swinging arm carried thereby.

Application filed April 8,1899. Serial No. 712,319. (No model.)

5 and 6 are detail views showing the different relative positions of the swinging armature-arms during the operation of becoming interlocked. Fig. 7 is a detail diagrammatic view showing a modification of the circuitwiring to operate the relays on a normallyopen circuit instead of a normally-closed'circuit.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letters A and B respectively designate the sepa-rate portions of a railway-track at the opposite sides of the crossing C or other point at which an audible alarm is desired, and said separate track-sections A and B have their contiguous portions at the crossin g separated or insulated from each other, whereby each of said track-sections may remain on a separate and independent circuit. The said track-sections A and B are necessarily of a sufficient length to insure the giving of an alarm bya train approaching from either direction so long as an alarm is desired for protective purposes, and at the ends of the tracksections remote from the crossing said sections are suitably insulated in the usual way from the remainder of the track.

The signal-controlling mechanism which provides for automatically throwing the signal in and out of operation is located at any convenient point adjacent to the track and essentially consists of a pair of relays l and 2, respectively, which are preferably mounted upon the same base or support 3, having an upright back portion 4 and made of suitable insulating material, so as not to interfere with the circuits of the relays. The controlling mechanism of course may be suitably incased or arranged in any desired location without interfering with the operation thereof, and in the present invention each relay l and 2 consists of a pair of electromagnets 5, supported by a metallic frame 6, rigidly secured to the upright back portion 4f of the base or support 3, and an armature cooperating therewith, as will be presently explained. The magnets 5 of each relay are provided at their exposed ends with pole-pieces 7, having inner curved faces S, adjacent to which play the ends of a rotary Z-shaped armature 9. Therotary Z- shaped armature 9 of each relay has the terminal arms 10 thereof curved in the arc of the Same circle and reversely arranged with relation to each other, so as to always remain within the iniiuence of the pole-pieces 7,while at the same time assisting in causing the gravitation of the armature-arm 11 in one direction when the magnets of the relay are demagnetized. The said Z-shaped rotary armature 9 is pivotally supported at its center by means of the adjustable pivot-screw 11 between the parallel plates 13, fitted to the oppositely-arranged pole-pieces 7 and constituting an open frame for the revoluble sup-` port of the armature 9, which plays between said pole-pieces, and at this point it will be observed that the said plates 13 also constitute a part of the metallic framework of the relay, so that the same may be included in the bell or alarm circuit, which is opened and closed by the movement of the said armaturearm of either relay.

The armature-arm 11 of each relay is rigidly fastened at one end to its supporting-armature 9 at an angle to the cross-bar of the armature, and at its fastened end the armature-arm carries a weighted portion 1t, which causes the arm to normally gravitate in a downward direction when the magnets of the relay are demagnetized. The said armaturearm 1l of each relay is further provided at its free end with an angularly-disposed defiecting finger 15, which is preferably arranged obliquely to the length of the arm, and the latter is also provided at the inner end or base of the said defiecting-finger with an angular locking-notch 16, contiguous to which the arm has projected from the under side thereof an oiistandin g pendant U -shaped or forked foot 17, having the separate duplicate prongs 1S and 19 pointing in the same direction, but respectively having different functions, as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

The two relays 1 and 2 are arranged apart in parallel planes, with their rotary Z-shaped armatures facing in the same direction, whereby the free ends of the swinging armaturearms 11 will swing in the space between the separate relays and will also have an interlocking action above the plane of a common contact-post 20. The common contact-post 2O is arranged centrally between the two relays, in the vertical plane of the swinging arms 11 thereof, and is suitably secured at its lower end to the base or support 3 for the mechanism. The said contact-post 20 is disposed in an upright position and has adj ustably fitted to the upper end thereof a mercury-contact cup 21, adapted to hold therein a quantity of mercury, which makes electrical contact with the prong 1S of either armaturearm, and at its upper end the said contact-post 2O also has fitted thereto a horizontal cross-arm 22, in the opposite arms of which are adjustably fitted insulating screws or studs 23, which may be adjusted vertically to a position whereby the same will afford stops for one or both of the armature-arms should it be desired to operate the apparatus in this way, as will be further explained. f

The common contact-post 20 for the armature-arms of both relays has connected thereto one terminal of the bell or alarm circuit wire a, the other terminal of which connects with one pole of a local battery 24, the other pole of which battery has a wire connection with one terminal of the electric bell or alarm 25. The other terminal of the electric bell or alarm 25 has connected thereto the other bell-circuit wire b, having branch wire connections c with the metallic frames of both of the relays. It will thus be observed that the bell or alarm circuit is a separate and independent circuit and is normally open when the armature-arms 11 of both relays are in their normal upright positions. The normal upright position of the armature-arms 11 of both relays is provided for by normally maintaining a closed circuit through each of the relays, thus keeping the magnets of the relays always magnetized, the demagnetization thereof only occurring when a train is upon the track-sections included in circuit therewith.

Each of the relays is on a separate and independent local circuit respectively including the separate track-sections A and B. One terminal of the electromagnets 5 of the relay 1 has connected therewith a circuit-wire d, which connects with one of the rails of the track-sections A, the other rail of which tracksection has a wire connection e with the other terminal of said magnets. An independent local battery 2G also has separate wire connections f and g, respectively, with the separate rails of the track-section A, thus providing for normally maintaining a closed circuit through the magnets of the relay 1, and hence causing the armature-arm 11 of such relay to be sustained in an upright position.

The relay 2 has corresponding wire connections with the other track-section B. The separate terminals of the magnets of said relay 2 have wire connections 7L and i, respectively, with separate rails of the track-section B, and an independent local battery 27 for the relay 2 also has separate wire connections j and 7c, respectively, with the separate rails of the said track-section B.

Then a train enters upon the track-section A, the local battery 2G for the relay 1 will be short-circuited through the wheels and axles of the car, thereby causing a demagnetization of the magnets of the relay 1 and permitting the armature-arm 11 of this relay to gravitate so as to carry the contact-prong 1S thereof into the mercury-cup 21. This closes the bell or alarm circuit through the metallic frame of the relay and the wires a., b, and c and the bell or alarm will continue to ring until the first pair of wheels of the locomotive pass the crossing and enter upon the rails of the track-section B. It may be noted at this point that as the car-wheels or rails offer littlc or no resistance to the passage of thc elec- IOO I IVO tric current when either track-section is occupied by a train the local battery for such section will be .completely short-circuited, thereby cutting out the relay associated therewith.

Assuming that a train is upon the tracksection A and the armature-arm for the relay 1 has been caused to drop into contact with the mercury-cup in the manner eXp1ained, it will be understood that the alarm will continue to sound until the train enters upon the track-section B. When this occurs, the local battery 27 for this track-section will be short-circuited, thus demagnetizing the magnets of the relay 2, whereupon the armaturearm 11 of this relay will immediately swing toward the other armature-arm, which is in contact with the mercury-cup. As the armature-arm of the relay 2 swings downward, the prong 19 thereof strikes the inclined deflecting-finger 15 of the other armature-arm and lifts the same out of the mercury-cup. At the same time the prong 19 of the falling armature-arm of the relay 2 jumps into the angular locking-notch 16, and therebycauses both armature-arms to become interloeked in a plane above and out of contact with the mercury-cup. This interlocking engagement of the two armature-arms prevents either of the same from falling into the mercury-cup, and thus serves to lock the mechanism out ot operation until the last pair of trucks of the train pass out of the track-section B. Then the local circuits of both relays will be closed, so that the armatures will be rotated so as to swing both of the armature-arms to their normal upright inactive positions. A train approaching from the opposite direction will cause precisely the same operation of the apparatus, only in a reverse order from that describedto wit, as the train enters the tracksection B and approaches the crossing Cy the local battery 27 will be short-circuited, allowing the armature-arms of the relay 2 to drop and close the bellcircuit, which will cause the bell or alarm to sound until the :first pair of wheels of the locomotive pass the crossing and enter the track-section A, whereupon the battery 26 will be short-circuited, allowing the armature-arm of the relay 1 to fall against the other armature-arm and lock the same in position above and out of contact with the mercury-cup, the action being precisely the same as when the armature-arm of the relay 2 falls against the armature-arm of the relay l.

While the apparatus has been described as specially designed for automatically operating the signal at a railway-crossing, it will be understood that the apparatus could be employed equally as Well to operate a block-system signal. Furthermore, by turning up the insulating screws or studs 23 to prevent contact of the armature-arms with the mercurycup the mechanism can be made to operate as an annunciator, while said insulating screws or studs 23 can also be utilized to permit onlyone of the armature-arms to coperate with the mercury-cup and close the bell or alarm circuit.

It is preferable to ope rate the relays in connection with normally-closed circuits, as described; but, as shown in the modication of Fig. 7 of the drawings, each relay may be arranged to work equally as well on an open circuit. In adapting the apparatus for use with an open circuitit is simply necessary to wind the coils for very low resistance and arrange the Weights so that the armature-arms will normally be balanced in a position above and out of contact with the mercury-cup of y the contact-post, while also within the zone of iniiuence of the pole-pieces of the magnets, as plainly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. It will be observed that in this modification the curved terminal arms 10 of the Z-shaped armature are disposed reversely to the arrangement of such arms in the preferred form of apparatus previously described, and, furthermore, i'n the modified construction the fastened ends ot the armature-arms 1l are preferably iitted with adjustable weights 14a, which provide for balancing the armaturearms in their proper normal positions. Furthermore, in operating the instrument or apparatus on a normally-open circuit a slight modification of the free interlocking ends of the armature-arms is observed. This modification involves the provision of the armature-arms at their free endswith thickened angular heel projections 30, which somewhat changes the form and disposition of the locking-notches 16 without changing the'interlocking action previously described. However, by reason of shaping the three interlocking ends of the armature-arms to the form shown in Fig. 7 of Vthe drawings the bell or alarm is permitted to sound as long as there is a pair of trucks on the track-section upon which the train iii-st enters, whereas in the construction operated in connection with a normally-closed circuit the alarm is caused to cease as soon as the iirst pair of trucks on the locomotive pass into the second tracksectionbeyond the crossing, as will be readily understood by those familiar with the art.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described signaling apparatus will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be further understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of constructionwithin the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacritlcing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric railway-signal, the combination with separate track-sections and cir- IOO IIO

(s4-rese cuits including them, of a pair of relays included in the circuits of their respective tracksections, analarm-circuit including a terminal, and an armature for each relay included in said alarm-circuit and adapted to alternately engage the terminal, each of said armatures being adapted for engagement with the previously-engaged armature under the influence of its relay to move it from the terminal and lock it in a disengaged position.

2. In an electric railway-signal, the combination with separate track-sections, and circuits including them, of relays in the circuits of their respective track-sections, an alarmcircuit including a terminal, armatures for said relays located in the alarm-circuit, and adapted to alternately engage the terminal to close the alarm-circuit, and interlocking means carried by the armature adapted for engagement to hold their respective armatures against the action of their relays to influence the alarm-circuit.

3. In an electric railway-signal, the combination with the separate track-sections, of a pair of relays provided with rotary armatures carrying arms whose contiguous ends are provided With combined contact and interlocking members, a common contact for both armature-arms with which they are adapted to alternately engage, said interlocking members being adapted for mutual engagement to raise the arms with their contact members out of operative position and lockingly hold them, a bell or alarm circuit including therein said contact and both armatures, and separate local circuits for the relays, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electric railway-signal, the combination with the separate track-sections, of a pair of relays provided with rotary armatures carrying arms Whose ends Work in proximal relation, each armature-arm being provided contiguous to its free end with a contact projection and a locking-notch, a common contact for the contact projection of both armature-arms with which they are adapted to engage, said members being adapted to alternately raise and hold the other member in its notch with the contact members out of operative position, a bell or alarm circuit including therein said common contact and both armatures, and separate local circuits for the rclays, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electric railway-signal, the combination with the separate track-sections, of a pair of relays provided with rotary armatures carrying arms whose ends work in proximal relation, each arm being provided at its free end with an angularly-disposed deectingfinger, at or near the base of the latter with a locking-notch, and contiguous to the notch with an offstanding forked foot, a common contact for the contact projection or prong of bot-h armatures, a bell or alarm circuit including therein said common contact and both armatures, and separate local circuits for the relays, substantially as set forth.

G. In an electric railway-signal, the combination with the separate track-sections, of a pair of relays provided with rotary armatures carrying arms, Whose ends Work in proximal relation, each arm being provided with an angularly-disposed dellecting-finger, an angular locking-notch, and an offstanding U- shaped foot, a mercury-contact cup common to both armature-arms, a bell or alarm circuit including therein the mercury-contact cup and both armatures, and separate local circuits for the relays, substantially as set forth.

7. In an electric railway-signal, the combination with the separate track-sections, of a pair of relays provided with rotary armatures carrying swinging arms, a common contactpost for both arms with which they are adapted to alternately engage and provided at its upper end with a merc ury-contact cup, and with a horizontal cross-arm, insulating screws or studs adjustably fitted in thev ends of said cross-arm, locking mechanism carried by said arms adapted for mutual engagement to hold the contacts inoperative, a bell or alarm circuit including therein the contact-post and both armatures, and separate local circuits for the relays, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

.IUDSON SIIOECRAFT.

' Witnesses:

W. MIsLER, P. W. SMALE. 

